Physical Activity Predictors During Postpartum

描述（由申请人提供）：产后是一种特殊的事件，通常会导致女性身体活动（PA）减少；因此，这一特殊人群罹患几种慢性病和过早死亡的风险增加。然而，关于产后PA的现有研究在以下3个重要因素方面是有限的：(a)横断面评估没有捕捉到产后早期、中期和后期的具体生理和心理需求；(b)非标准化和未经验证的PA措施；(c) PA激励因素和预测因素的非理论研究。在对产后妇女实施有效的PA干预之前，有必要在理论框架内使用PA行为的标准化测量来前瞻性地检查她们的PA信念和行为。该方法将为实施针对产后生理、环境和心理需求的PA干预提供理论依据。计划行为理论（theory of planned behavior， TPB）是理解和预测PA意向和行为的最具影响力和最成功的理论之一，它将作为预测产后6周、3个月和6个月女性PA信念和行为的理论框架。我们建议的总体目标是：a)确定和检查TPB对产后妇女的预测能力；b)检查产后PA水平（即每周中度剧烈PA的最小值、能量消耗、平均PA计数/分钟和满足当前PA指南的PA天数/分钟）；c)在TPB的指导下，评估基于理论的人口统计学、生活质量和环境因素对PA行为的调节作用。本建议的结果将用于设计一项基于理论的随机临床试验，以增加和维持产后妇女的PA。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Postpartum is a specific event that often results in decreased physical activity (PA) for women; thereby placing this special population at increased risk for several chronic diseases and premature mortality. The existing research examining PA during postpartum is limited, however, with respect to the following 3 important factors: (a) cross-sectional assessments that do not capture the specific physical and psychological demands of early, middle, and late postpartum; (b) nonstandardized and unvalidated PA measures; and (c) nontheoretical studies of PA motivators and predictors. Before effective PA interventions are implemented with postpartum women, it is necessary to prospectively examine their PA beliefs and behaviors using standardized measures of PA behavior within a theoretical framework. This approach will provide the theoretical basis to implement PA interventions specific to the physical, environmental, and psychological demands of postpartum. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is one of the most influential and successful theories for understanding and predicting PA intention and behavior, and will serve as the theoretical framework to prospectively determine the PA beliefs and behaviors for women at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum. The overall objectives of our proposal are to: a) determine and examine the predictive ability of the TPB for postpartum women; b) examine PA levels during postpartum (i.e., min of moderate-strenuous PA per week, energy expenditure, mean counts/min, and days/min of PA to meet current PA guidelines); and c) evaluate theory-based demographic, quality of life, and environmental moderators of PA behaviors, as guided by the TPB. The results from this proposal will be used to design a theory-based randomized clinical trial to increase and maintain PA of postpartum women. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Before effective PA interventions are implemented with postpartum women, it is necessary to prospectively examine their PA beliefs and behaviors using standardized measures of PA behavior within a theoretical framework. This approach will provide the theoretical basis to implement PA interventions specific to the physical, environmental, and psychological demands of postpartum. Guided by the theory of planned behavior we will prospectively determine the PA beliefs and behaviors (i.e., accelerometers and self-report) for women at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum, and variables that moderate the theory of planned behavior and PA relationship.